Perfect Blue
by punkish furball
Summary: "It wasn't hard to spot what was wrong. The shade was completely off, and she loathed it." When Karai lived in Japan, she had a very dear friend she would do anything for. one-sided Yandere!Karai/Kagome
1. Chapter 1

punkish furball – Greetings, all!

 **Words to Ponder:**

So I'm trying something that's a little darker than what I normally write. And, even though it's an InuYasha/TMNT crossover, it didn't exactly fit in with _Turtle Bites_. For now, it's a stand-alone piece, but I might be inclined to delve into it if there's enough interest. That being said, I hope you all enjoy it.

Also, if you need another InuYasha/TMNT fix, check out my recently updated stories, _Turtle Bites_ and _Just a Little Kiss_.

 **Perfect Blue**

Karai grunted as she sheathed her katana and turned her back on her defeated foes without a second thought. These Kraang droids were not the least bit entertaining to engage in battle. They were easily dispatched with the unsatisfying ping of metal on metal in a matter of minutes. They were a far cry from the prey she truly sought, April O'Neil. In their first and only encounter, that sniveling brat managed to catch her off guard long enough to escape, a feat O'Neil would not accomplish a second time. Karai swore she would hunt her down and take her out personally.

After that encounter, Karai and the other Foot soldiers found no clues leading the redhead's current whereabouts no matter how long they spent scouring the Manhattan streets for information. She likely went into hiding with the Turtles and their _sensei_.

 _Cowards_ , Karai thought, clenching her bottom lip between her teeth until her incisors cut into the skin.

"Head back to the base," she ordered, her voice carrying as much authority as her father's, "Report directly to the Shredder, and tell him I plan to cover more ground on my own."

The Foot _shinobi_ paused to obediently bow their heads before treating to the Foot Clan's NYC lair. Once they were gone, Karai growled, letting loose her frustrations. Just the thought of her enemies all wallowing in the sewer far from her reach made her seethe with rage. Still, above all the rest, she hated Leonardo the most. He actually made her believe in him only to cross her in the end. Betrayal was something she did not take lightly.

That wasn't even the worst of it. Despite what happened between them, that mutant freak still looked at her like she could change or that she even wanted to. He was so damn persistent and terribly underfoot, looking at her with eyes that searched for something inside her he could never reach if it even existed at all.

Karai cried out as she punched the wall beside her again and again until she pulled away and left a trail of crumbling mortar and brick trickling from the cracks she created. She should have been able to realize what was wrong with Leonardo much sooner than she did. He wasn't the only one who possessed the same disgusting flaw, but he was the one who irked her the most. The shade was completely off, and she loathed it. Leonardo's eyes were such a sickening shade of blue, and he had the gall to look at her with such ugly eyes that dared to mimic hers.

Her ire spent for the moment, Karai reclined against the wall, sliding her back against the surface as she sat down. She shuddered as she envisioned the only eyes with that perfect hue, those precious eyes that sparkled like the ocean waves reflecting the light from the rising sun and echoed the warmth and kindness of the gentle heart of the one they belonged to. Eyes so pure and perfect they could only belong to her. Karai longed to see them each and every moment of her life, caressing her softly with her gaze.

She looked up to the night sky, chuckling darkly. Leonardo was entertaining to toy with, but that was all he'd ever be. He could never hope to compare to her.

-O0o0O-

Karai lazily leaned back against the fence surrounding the roof of the main building of her new school as she took a drag from her cigarette. Only three weeks into her transfer and she was bored to tears of the Tokyo public school system. She wasn't sure why her father enrolled her after 13 years of private tutors and home schooling, but here she was, skipping gym class on the roof after she swiped the key to the roof access staircase from one of the teachers.

Her left eyebrow lifted when she heard the footsteps and voices of several others ascending the staircase who would undoubtedly open the door she didn't bother to lock. She hoped it was a teacher. As bored as she was, being sent home for a few days was exactly what she needed.

When the door was pushed open, Karai was mildly disappointed but not surprised to see who came after her.

"I knew you'd be up here!"

Karai snorted a laugh as she watched her classmate march up to her dressed in her gym shirt and bloomers, her high ponytail swinging behind her head with each angry step she took. She stopped in front of her with her arms folded over her chest, annoyed. Two of the three girls who usually followed her around stood by the door, cowering behind her like the airheads they were.

"Higurashi, welcome to the party," Karai greeted her and held out her crushproof pack of cigarettes toward her, "Want one?"

Higurashi huffed, her sapphire eyes blazing.

"You're ditching P.E. to smoke again? Don't you know how badly that reflects on the rest of our class? Especially with all the trash you leave behind."

Karai took another long drag and exhaled, tapping off the ashes on Higurashi's shoe. "No idea, princess. Why don't you tell me?"

Those two pinheads spoke up from their spot behind them but didn't dare more forward.

"Kagome, don't mess with her! I hear her dad is a really powerful guy!"

"I know you're on the Beautification Committee, but all this isn't worth it!"

Karai rolled her eyes and looked away, fully expecting Higurashi to back down. Her peers knew nothing of the true power the Oroku name carried, but they knew enough to fear her as they should.

"I don't care who her father is! _He's_ not the one walking around campus smelling like human ashtray!"

Though she was initially stunned by Higurashi's reply, Karai was quick on her feet and stood toe to toe with her.

"What do you say, Ms. Beautification Committee?" she asked her through clenched teeth.

"You heard me!" she told her, her tone unchanged, "You smell like a dirty, disgusting ashtray! Your hair, your clothes, even your skin all reek of stale cigarettes. And the Beautification Committee has nothing to do with this. I have to sit right behind you, so I'm stuck smelling your stink all day assuming you even bother to show up to class! Not only that, you skip cleanup duties too and expect everyone else to go around and pick up your cigarette butts for you. It's beyond gross!"

Higurashi ended her rant by plucking the cigarette from Karai's hand, tossing it to the ground, and crushing it beneath her foot.

"You're really pushing it, Higurashi!" Karai hissed, "Get back there with your loser friends before you get hurt."

Higurashi scoffed, unafraid. "What are you gonna do? Beat me up or something? Go right ahead! I'm not afraid of some bratty punk who hides behind her daddy's reputation."

Karai growled as she grabbed Higurashi by the collar of her shirt and pulled. Her father was powerful in more ways than a little pissant like her would ever know, and he taught Karai nearly everything he knew. Higurashi wouldn't last long against her in a fight. However, just as she saw before, there was no fear in those insufferable blue eyes, only fierce determination.

Karai paused when she noticed Higurashi's nostrils twitch. Her eyebrows subsequently furrowed as thought her senses detected something unpleasant.

… _I'm stuck smelling your stink all day…_

Karai roughly pushed Higurashi on the ground and stomped passed her friends to go down the stairs.

 _Just who the hell does she think she is?_ Karai thought as she stopped in the breezeway outside and reached into her pocket to pull out her lighter and pack of smokes. She put a cigarette to her lips and held up her lighter.

 _You smell like a dirty, disgusting ashtray!_

Karai grit her teeth, biting through the filter. That annoying voice just wouldn't leave her alone!

… _a bratty punk who hides behind her daddy's reputation._

Karai crushed both the pack and the lighter in her fist before she threw them as far away as she could and spit the unlit cigarette on the ground. That fucking goody-two-shoes got under her skin! No one ever spoke to her like that—civilian or otherwise. The Oroku name was on to be respected and feared, and Karai earned every ounce of that on her own merit, not her father's. Higurashi had no idea who she was dealing with.

 _So she thinks I stink, huh? I'll show her._

Karai sat on the sidewalk and stewed until her family's driver arrived to pick her up. She approached the car just like she did every other school day. The driver exited the car and bowed as he held the door open for her.

"Good evening, Miss Karai. How was your day?" he asked.

"Just shut up and drive," Karai told him before she plopped down in the backseat.

The older man nodded, expecting a response like that, before he took his spot in the driver's seat and sped off. Outside the window, Karai saw Higurashi sweeping the walkway she just vacated, laughing with her friends. She narrowed her eyes as she caught another whiff of herself, scowling. She would show her.

Several days after their first direct encounter, Karai looked up from the top of her desk to see Higurashi standing over her with her hands clasped behind her back as everyone else in their class left for lunch.

"Need something, princess?" Karai asked, bored.

Higurashi smiled, sheepish. "I wanted to apologize for what I said to you the other day." She paused to remove her hands and held out Karai's discarded pack of cigarettes and her lighter.

"I found these during cleanup. Are they yours?" she asked.

Karai snorted a laugh. "You've been carrying around the crap for a whole week? I thought you of all people would know trash when you see it."

Higurashi sighed and tossed them both in a nearby trashcan.

"I deserve that," she admitted before she spoke again, completely earnest.

"Listen, I'm sorry I was so harsh when I spoke to you and insulted you and your family. What you choose to do or not do is none of my business, but you only transferred a few weeks ago. You don't have any friends in our class or the rest of our school, and you don't seem very happy to be here. I just wanted to speak with you, so you can be more involved with everyone else and make some friends. Granted, I planned on telling you what I thought in a less confrontational way, but it is what it is."

"You're babbling, princess," Karai interjected, "You got a point with all this?"

"I guess the main thing I'm trying to say is that I want you to be a part of our school and our class," Higurashi said, "and I want to be your friend, Karai. I really do."

Karai stared at that grinning idiot in disbelief as she waited for her to answer. Never before had someone affected her so oddly. All of her original intent to make the little witch suffer evaporated at the sight of her stupid smile and those big blue eyes that, once again, revealed exactly what was on her mind. Even before when Higurashi was admonishing her on the rooftop, Karai never saw such innocence and sincerity in another person.

Higurashi wanted so little for her, and Karai felt strangely humbled. It wasn't until much later that Karai would realize her burning desire, that irrepressible drive to quit her smoking habit and attend her classes to prove Higurashi wrong was all for Higurashi's approval. Amongst all of her peers, she noticed Higurashi's indiscriminate but stern kindness with their classmates and wanted more than anything to be worthy of such gift.

Karai smirked and said as she leaned back in her chair, "We'll see, Higurashi. We'll see."

When Higurashi smiled at her, her face was as radiant and brilliant as the sun, and Karai's breath caught in her throat.

"Kagome. Call me, Kagome."

-O0o0O-

 _Kagome_.

Her name whispered across Karai's mind like a soothing breeze. As a _kunoichi_ , she was confined to the darkness, only permitted to follow the commands of her Master, her own father, Oroku Saki. But, ever since she was allowed to bask in the presence of that seemingly ordinary girl who shined like a brilliant sun, Karai craved her warming light more and more with each passing day.

 _It's dangerous to love the sun as I do_ , Karai mused, especially for someone like her.

However, Karai did not see and experience the same peril as others before her who longed to approach the sun. She did not fear the scorching heat searing her to the bone as she flew closer to her beloved sun. If pain was the price for her love, Karai would endure it gladly.

But her sun shined her light on everything and everyone, pushing her rays as far as she could reach. Her sun set each day and returned without fail, promising to try even harder to reach the darkest, most unworthy depths. Anything she could do to make someone's outlook on the world around them just a little bit warmer, she would do it. Karai loved Kagome with everything she had, but, unfortunately, her beloved sun was foolish. That's why her love was so dangerous.

Karai coveted her precious sun and despised everything that was unworthy of her warmth and light. If given the chance, she would cast the entire world into total darkness so Kagome could shine on her and her alone even if she ultimately burned her to ashes.

-O0o0O-

punkish furball – And that's a wrap! Remember to tell me what you think. If you like it, I may have more to add.

Until next time, TCB.

( **edited 08.13.2015** )


	2. Chapter 2

punkish furball – Hello, all! o( o )o

 **Words to Ponder:**

Hello, all! X3

I apologize for my absence, but things really picked up for me at the beginning of last year. I finally got a job in my field after getting my degree, I started a really good relationship (10 months and counting!), and I'm meeting new people, etcetera and etcetera. I've also started to dabble more into cosplay, but I'm not quite confident to share pictures yet!

Thank you for reviewing from FF .net: kakashixangela, Elizabeth (3x), Anime hotty lover. 18, ShadowCrawlerCiel, MonochromeMemories, fallingyuki, kimmico, CaiaWar, random, Relinadus, HalfBlackWolfDemon, and SailorNova007! X3

Thanks to everyone on AO3 .org for the kudos! X3

Without further ado, please enjoy!

 **Chapter 2**

Karai compulsively grit her teeth as she approached the fast food joint her peers regularly frequented after school. As a _kunoichi_ , she followed a strict diet of lean meats, tofu, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetable, preferring her produce uncooked if available. It explicitly prohibited indulging in the deep-fried slop they peddled here not that she even wanted to. The sight and smell of it alone was always enough to make her sick. On top of that, the clientele was revolting, all loud, fat, and crude, only pausing long enough to stuff their putrid, grease-soaked faces.

 _Disgusting_ , she thought with a sneer, _Absolutely disgusting._

Karai's entire being was screaming at her to turn around and leave this awful place as quickly as she could, smashing in the skull of anyone who got in her way. However, she resisted and pressed on. The only reason she'd ever step foot in such a place was—

"Karai!" Kagome called out her name with her hands cupped around her mouth to amplify her voice, "Karai, we're over here!"

Karai's tense expression immediately relaxed, smiling as she watched Kagome stand on the tips of her toes and wave at her from a booth she shared with Ayumi, Eri, and Yuka near the rear exit of the restaurant. Shortly after the day Kagome offered Karai her friendship approximately four or five months ago, Karai found herself in her company more and more frequently and, as a result, began doing things she never considered before just to be closer to her. She began associating with her other classmates as well as established a colloquial relationship with most of her peers but exclusively spent all of her time with Kagome both on and off their middle school's campus.

When Karai reached them, Kagome scooted over until she was seated against the wall to make room for Karai to sit beside her.

"Took you long enough!" Kagome jested, "You should know better than to show up so late."

Karai smirked and sat as close to Kagome as she could then snatched a few French fries from her food tray.

"Maybe," she remarked, "but I know you'd wait for me."

Kagome huffed and pouted, childishly puffing out her cheeks to several times their normal size. Karai rolled her eyes and poked one of Kagome's inflated cheeks with her index finger until all the air escaped from her pursed lips. Kagome reached up and attempted to grab her finger but missed it.

"For someone who just made her first friends since you transferred to our class, you're taking an awful lot of liberties with me," she quipped, still annoyed but amused at the same time.

"I'm a quick study," Karai replied then chose to remain quiet when one of other girls, Eri, quickly directed the conversation to some inane topic regarding school. The other three quickly joined in the chatter, content to let Karai act as a silent observer without a second thought.

With practiced ease, Karai tuned out the other girls' voice and focused on Kagome, observing her from the corner of her eyes. As long as she was at her side, Karai could easily disregard all of these unavoidable annoyances and find peace in the most unlikely of places.

Karai watched as Kagome's slender fingers picked up some fries and brought them to her mouth while continuing the conversation. Unlike the unruly clods that surrounded them, she was far more nimble and careful as she ate. However, immediately after that assessment, Karai snorted a chuckle when Kagome gasped at something Yuka said and smeared a line of ketchup across her cheek.

 _Careful enough, but she's still clumsy_ , Karai mentally corrected before she reached over and removed the stain with her thumb.

"Doing two things at once like eating and talking isn't your thing, princess," she said as she wiped her thumb with a stray napkin, "There's no need to try so hard on our account."

"Ha-ha," Kagome remarked, both her voice and expression painfully deadpanned, "If you were paying attention to our conversation, space cadet, you'd understand."

"What?" Karai asked, obviously feigning concern, "Did someone tip over your committee's precious trash cans?"

"If only that were it," Kagome muttered under her breath but didn't explain any further.

"Oh, cut the drama, Kagome!" Eri exclaimed, "It's not the end of the world, ya know. It's actually a good thing!"

"So what is this good news?" Karai asked, first directing her question to Kagome then the other three across the table when Kagome refused to respond.

"I heard after school today that one of the upperclassmen plans to confess to Kagome tomorrow!" Yuka excitedly explained, "His name is Araki Naoya, handsome with perfect grades, student council secretary, and a regular on our school's baseball team set to compete in the upcoming district semi-final! Excellent boyfriend material if you ask me! You can't find anyone more perfect than him."

Ayumi and Eri readily agreed, both beaming from ear to ear.

"Kagome is really lucky to have a boy like him interested in her," Ayumi added.

"Hold on!" Kagome abruptly interjected, her face bright red in embarrassment, "Nobody is confessing to anyone! Don't get so worked up over a rumor especially on like that and _especially_ one that involves me."

"But it's Araki-senpai!" Yuka protested, "It's not like you don't know him."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "So we spend exactly four or five hours a week picking up trash and pulling up weeds around school. Big deal! I barely know the guy!"

"It's more than a few hours!" she retorted, "And he always, _always_ tries to work with you when you're on cleaning duty."

Eri nodded in agreement and rationalized, "You have to be more optimistic about it. It's perfectly possible that he could have a crush on you even if he is older."

"Agreed!" Ayumi gushed, "Kagome will be the first one of us to get a real boyfriend. I have to admit I'm a little jealous of you."

Still blushing brilliant red, Kagome huffed and turned away from her friends and faced the wall.

"Why don't you knock some sense into them, Karai?" Kagome playfully requested, "I'm normally against fighting, but I think they need it now more than ever."

When Karai didn't immediately answer her, Kagome glanced at her from the corner of her eye. She stiffened when she saw the expression she saw on Karai's face. She could only describe it as pure rage and hatred. It reminded her of the first time she confronted her on the school's rooftop. The only difference was Kagome actually felt somewhat wary of her, and, if she felt that way, she could only imagine how uneasy Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi were.

Concerned, Kagome regained her composure and reached out to place her hand on Karai's shoulder. Karai jumped in her seat at the sudden contact, but Kagome smiled and gave her a comforting squeeze.

"Is there something wrong, Karai?" she questioned, "Are you alright?"

Before she answered, Karai took several deep breaths to calm herself down.

"I'm fine," she managed to answer, "I'm leaving."

Kagome slowly pulled her hand away from her, pouting.

"But you just got here," she meekly protested.

Ignoring her plea, Karai stood and began heading for the front exit without looking back at Kagome and other three girls she left behind. If she did, she would see Kagome's slumped shoulders, prominent frown, and the hurt and confusion etched on her face. There was no way she would be able to leave her behind with such a dejected expression.

Before she got too far, Karai paused and said over her shoulder, "It's been fun, but this really isn't my scene. Catch you later, princess."

Just as Karai reached the door and placed her hand on the door handle, she heard the soft shuffling of footsteps over the rowdiness of the restaurant following behind her. She smiled wryly.

 _She just can't leave well enough alone,_ Karai thought. She stepped outside and began walking down the sidewalk. She purposely walked at a slower pace than she normally did until Kagome fell in step beside her.

"Your conference over?" she remarked.

Kagome shrugged and explained, "I already said everything I intended to say about the whole thing. If they don't want to listen to me when I say it's all talk, there isn't any point to keep talking about it. It's like trying to talk to a brick wall."

Karai snorted. "Gee, I wonder why, princess? You don't exactly hang out with the honor roll."

Kagome rolled her eyes and disregarded Karai's statement. "Anyway, that's not the only reason I came after you. You can't just freak out on me and bail like that then not expect me to go after you. So what's up with you?"

"You really think all you have to do is ask, and I'll tell you?" Karai countered, glancing at Kagome from the corner of her eye. Just as she expected, the raven's pursed lips were pulled into a pout. Karai snorted a laugh; the sight almost made her smile. When she noticed Kagome's grimace stretch back into her usual smile, Karai realized she must have actually done so.

"You have to admit it was worth a shot," Kagome answered, "But do you know anything about Araki-senpai?"

"Why do you want to know?" Karai asked, managing to maintain an even tone. It was much easier to keep her cool at the mention of the upperclassman's name with only Kagome around.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Karai, you and I may not have known each other very long and you're not the easiest person to read, but it wasn't hard to tell something was wrong right after you heard Araki-senpai's name," she explained, "You completely shut down when Yuka mentioned him. It seems to me that the only reason you would react that way is if something personal happened between the two of you."

Karai shrugged. "Sorry to refute your reasoning, princess, but I never met the guy."

"Really?" Kagome uttered, perplexed, "Then why did you get so angry?"

Karai snorted, feeling somewhat relieved with Kagome's reasoning behind her abrupt change in behavior. Kagome was a bit more insightful than most girls their age, but even she could not guess how Karai truly regarded Araki. Each time she heard his name during the prior conversation, she pictured that disgusting boy pressing Kagome against a wall, caging her in his arms, holding her head in place, and forcing his tongue down her throat. Karai was absolutely certain that she could not handle something like that. Kagome was far too innocence to withstand an assault like that and react appropriately as Araki used his hands and mouth to defile her. If left to his own devices, Araki would shamelessly seduce Kagome without a second thought, and her three idiotic friends cheering him on.

"You should know by now I have a low tolerance for that kind of thing. I had about all I could take and, since it's blatantly obvious that I still scare your other friends shitless, that was the fastest way to shut them up long enough for me to get out of there," Karai stated, "Don't waste your time racking your brain about something like that."

Kagome sighed and nodded, accepting the excuse with little skepticism. "So you basically had a temper tantrum? You were free to leave any time you wanted, ya know. And you could try being less standoffish and a little nicer when you're around the others. That way they won't freak out whenever you show up."

Karai snorted a chuckle. "Noted. I'll get right on that, princess."

"Alright then," Kagome said with a jubilant grin, "Now that that's squared away, what's next on our agenda for the day?"

"What did you have in mind?" Karai asked.

"Well, it's kinda funny you should say that," Kagome began, sheepishly shifting her eyes to the right, "I wanted to ask if you finished yesterday's math assignment?"

Karai nodded and stopped walking. She knew exactly where this was headed. Kagome rushed ahead of Karai and stood in front of her with her head bowed and her palms pressed tightly together.

"Please, please, _please_ help me finish mine!" she pleaded, "You know how bad I am at math! I can't do it all by myself."

Karai smirked and folded her arms over her chest. "Really? Because I remember Yamamoto keeping you after class last week. I figured you had all the help you needed."

"But I hate it when _sensei_ tries to explain it to me," Kagome whined, wearing a pout Karai could never resist, "He makes everything sound so boring!"

"I dunno," Karai remarked, "I'm not sure I'll have to the time. You know, it wasn't a smart move to lecture me _then_ ask for a favor."

"Pretty please, Karai! It won't take long, and it's so much easier for me to understand when you tell me how to do it. If you help me, I promise I'll make you any kind of _bento_ you want every day for a week."

"A month," Karai countered, "then I'll think about it,"

"No way!" Kagome replied, indignant, "That's way too much! Two weeks is as far as I go, and I'll throw in some milk bread from the cafeteria to go with it."

Karai hummed thoughtfully as she tapped her chin with her index finger, prolonging her answer as long as she could.

"Fine, princess," she answered with a shrug, "I'll take it, but I feel like I'm losing on the deal."

Kagome grinned and threw her arms around Karai's neck, making her take a step back to brace herself.

"You're the best, Karai!" Kagome exclaimed.

Karai smiled softly before she wrapped her arms around Kagome's torso, resting her hands on the small of her back. At that moment, there was no place she would rather be.

"Bout time you realized that, princess."

-O0o0O-

Karai narrowed her eyes to clear her blurred vision as she recovered from her fond daydreams of her time with Kagome. The hug they shared that day was only one of many. The other girl always found a reason to touch her—intentionally or otherwise. More often than not, she would abruptly grab Karai's hand and hold it tight, excitedly pulling her to their next shared destination. She would reach out and grasp her shoulder when she knew Karai needed the support and no one else was aware she even needed it. Kagome's touch was always warm, comforting, and kind, benign gestures with the most innocent intentions.

Contact was Kagome's favorite method of showing affection, and Karai greedily took advantage of it as often as she could. She had no memories of being consoled or held as a child, only a partially singed photograph of her in her mother's arms as an infant. After her mother died, her father raised her according to the ways of the _shinobi_ , the only way he knew how. She was well cared for, didn't want for anything, and was never abused a day in her life by her father. As the Shredder, he taught her his techniques and his discipline as groomed her as the perfect warrior, a gift reserved for a very select number of the best martial artists. However, the Shredder was not one for fatherly affection, and Karai suspected that, although she never met him in person, Kagome knew that. She was able to sense how desperately Karai needed her touch and lavished her with attention, attention that exclusively belonged to her.

By far, Kagome's hugs were Karai's absolute favorite. If she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her chest, Karai could almost feel Kagome's warm, lithe form pressed against her with the fragrant scent of her surrounding her completely, a muddled cocktail of the flowery and fruity body sprays she regularly used, filling her nose. It placated her momentarily until she was plagued with loneliness once again.

No longer distracted by her training, Karai sheathed her weapon and left the dojo to retire to her bedroom. It was only something to kill time until she met with her father in his audience chamber prior to this return to Japan for some undisclosed purpose. She had several theories regarding his sudden request to see her, most of which involved the Kraang in some form or another. Although they were temporarily allied with the alien race against Hamato Yoshi and the Turtles, he still discouraged her from communicating with them directly if at all. He obviously wanted it to remain that way after he departed.

Karai snorted. _It's just another lecture. Barely worth the effort._

As she walked down the corridor, Karai revisited the remnants of her daydream. The rest of that day was uneventful. Karai and Kagome soon ended up at the latter's home, the Higurashi Shrine in Tokyo. Karai smiled to herself. She had never been a religious person, but she could not deny the warmth and peace radiating from the shrine grounds, a welcoming aura very similar to the one produced by the girl who lived there. Kagome immensely proud of her heritage—though not as proud as her grandfather—and routinely insisted they study outside when the weather was fair adjacent to a large tree on the property she adored, the _Goshinbaku._ It was truly a magnificent sight, and shrine patrons always stopped by to see especially during spring festivals when it produced delicate white blossoms. Karai remembered one such event when she watched Kagome dance and skip under the shower of falling flower petals, holding up the hem of her kimono as she held out her hand and beckoned for her to join the dance.

Karai loved Kagome's home and visited whenever she had the opportunity which occurred more frequently than she first anticipated. Nodoka, a woman just as kind and beautiful as her daughter, always insisted Karai join the family for dinner and stay afterward. Nodoka and the remainder of the Higurashi family, patriarch and shine caretaker Sojiro and young son Sota, also contributed to Karai's fondness for the shrine. The life of a warrior lacked the closeness the family provided, and Karai liked to believe Nodoka was an accurate depiction of what her own mother would be had her life not been taken, a loving, devoted woman who acted as the perfect complement the temper her father's harsh tendencies.

That night after Kagome finished preparing the boxed lunch Karai commissioned, the _kunoichi_ slept over. Even though there was a small guestroom in the Higurashi home, Karai slept beside Kagome in her bed as she always did. They were pressed together so closely that she could feel Kagome's heartbeat through her thin sleepwear.

When Karai reached her bedroom, she opened the door, fell back on her bed, and closed her eyes with a scowl on her face. Unfortunately, the following day was not so serene.

-O0o0O-

"Not bad, princess," Karai commented as she bit into one of the rice balls Kagome made for her, "Math might not be your thing, but your cooking is pretty decent."

Kagome scoffed, folding her arms over her chest in a huff.

"It's more than 'not bad' or 'decent'. Not only was I up all night making those rice balls for you, you waited until we _after_ finished dinner to tell me what you wanted," she replied, "I had to run to the corner store down the street to get all of the ingredients. It was completely unreasonable, but I went along with it anyway. You should be a little more grateful."

"Excuse me, princess, for assuming you already had beef ribs in the fridge. Besides this was my payment for helping you in the first place," Karai remarked with a shrug, "And if you didn't want to be up passed your bedtime, you shouldn't have wasted time adding all these toppings and shaping them into…What are these supposed to be? Badgers?"

Kagome pouted. "They're pandas."

Before Karai could retort, someone called out to them from the hall.

"Hey, Higurashi!"

Both Kagome and Karai looked over to see Araki Naoya standing in the doorway of their classroom, gesturing for Kagome to join him.

"What the hell do you want?" Karai asked before Kagome could answer herself.

"Karai!" Kagome hissed in reprimand before she hopped out of her seat and approached the classroom door.

Karai watched through narrowed eyes as Kagome stepped into the hallway and bow in apology in front of the upperclassman. Naoya shook his head, dismissing the incident, and began to speak. When he finished, Kagome smiled apologetically and shook her head. Naoya visibly deflated until Kagome said something that visibly lifted his spirits. Grinning like an idiot, he reached out and took Kagome's hand in his, gripping her perfect pale digits. She blushed a pretty, rosy pink before he smirked and released her hand as he left down the hallway.

Before Kagome could return to her desk, those three idiots who were never far from her swooped in from the other end of the opposite end of the hall and spirited her away. With her teeth clenched, Karai stood and stalked out of the classroom without bothering to put up her _bento_. She continued down the hall until she left the school building, disregarding everyone who noticed her exit. Most of the student body and the education land administrative staff was aware of her father's reputation and chose not to interfere. There was only one thought in her mind, a single statement repeating over and over.

 _Damn him…damn him…damn him…damn him…_

Karai didn't realize how long she was gone until she felt her cellphone vibrate in her pocket. She fished it out of her pocket and glowered when she saw the number for the school's main office flash on the caller ID screen. She ignored it as the ringing continued and kept wandering around the city with her mobile returned to her pocket. Two other incoming calls followed after the first before her phone was finally silent. It was about another two hours or so before she received another call.

 _For fuck's sake_ , Karai thought as she reached for her phone again, assuming it was another call from the main office or, least likely, her father who was notified by her school's officials about her impromptu departure. She came to an abrupt halt with she read the caller ID.

It was a call from the Higurashi shrine. The only person it could be was Kagome. The other thirteen-year-old didn't have a cellphone of her own even though they were only a few months apart in age. It was then Karai realized what happened. The three calls she received earlier were also from Kagome. After she failed to reach her via the school's phone, she must have waited until classes ended to call again after she arrived home.

Again, Karai decided not to answer again but not for the same reason as before. A part of her she desperately tried to keep hidden from Kagome's innocent eyes was revealed to her today. It was a short, insignificant instance that Kagome would likely forget, but Karai never would. The ugliness lying within the depths of her heart was nothing Kagome needed to see.

-O0o0O-

Karai's eyes opened before the Foot soldier approaching her room could reach the door.

"I'm coming," she stated and waited until she heard the sound of footsteps shuffling away from her room before she stood up. It didn't take long for Karai to ready herself before she departed for her father's audience chamber. The anticipation for this meeting cleared her head, but she still felt melancholy at the thought of her memories.

It was completely impossible to shield yourself from the sun no matter how hard you tried. Karai put forth as much effort as possible to keep her darker tendencies hidden from Kagome, but it became increasingly difficult. Naoya and other similar annoyances needed to be dealt with or her precious sun would have been defiled and spoiled. Of course, Karai couldn't do so in the light of the sun or her own sins would be revealed. So she waited, hunted, and stalked her targets, using and her skill to cling to the darkness as she was taught by the Shredder. Away from the sun, the darkness was her sword and her shield.

-O0o0O-

punkish furball – That's a wrap! X3 I hope you all enjoyed this installment. I've never written a piece with a _yandere_ character so I hope I'm doing a decent job of describing the method to Karai's madness. Look out for more updates, and, until next time, TCB! X3

( **edited 1.11.2017** )


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